When I got home tonight I had a message on my home (a robo call) saying that the Orem city was going to present their propose budget tonight. I thought that took higher priority than working in my garden (I need to dig up my two remaining beds). If I want to be a better informed citizen that means I need to start going to meetings such as this.

Here are some of the things I learned and also my notes on some of the highlights of the city’s budget. I learned some new terms and how certain things are done and maybe some tricks played on the public. For anyone interested in being more involved in local government this may be of interest. For some that is their creative project as they become active in direction of city, state and national politics.
New terms I learned:

Robo calls a prerecorded message sent electronically to phones to inform citizens on various issues. They are often used by political parties to contact a lot of people in a short allotment of time. Today’s robo was to encourage citizens to attend the city council meetings for budget discussions. I thank the person who did this. I have to admit that I don’t pay attention as much as I should but I was able to drop everything and attend tonight.

Enterprise funds: of the budget are items that have money assigned to them that are not included in the general budget of the city. Some of these items are a. Water b. sewer, and c. street lighting. Apparently the income made by the taxes for water, sewer and street lights pay for those items and so they are self-sustaining. It was suggested that these three items be treated separately from the general budget.

Franchise Tax: is an item such as a LAN phone line. Income on franchise taxes will decrease as more people drop that home phones for cell phones.

Canned questions: I learned tonight that sometimes a question might be asked from a city councilman to a financial adviser that might be given for show as well as to provide info. I commented to a neighbor how I liked one good question of a councilman and she mentioned that some questions might be ‘created’ to create an image for the benefit of citizens who are attending the public forum. The question is known in advance and so is ready to be answered to reflect well of the city council and the financial advisor. I don’t know how much of that was done tonight. I have a tendency to take things at face value. I am so innocent about stuff like this and it opened my eyes that some things may NOT be guileless.

PRD: Planned Residential development.

General fund is all items that are not under their separate Enterprise funds: For example the bond we owe on the city’s decision to sponsor the Utopia internet project has to be paid from the general fund. A great suggestion was given by a citizen where maybe we need to pay off our obligation early to utopia at a cost of 16 Mill from our emergency savings and thus avoid paying four times as much by paying the bond in the planned 20 year time frame. Another citizen brought up another very important observation and that was why city government was trying to act like a private business by investing money into private projects such a project like Utopia. I stood up and expressed concern of city government throwing more money after bad. I agree that we need to now pay the next 20 years toward a bad investment because of Utopia. I’m just hope the council will listens to this ‘citizen’ group that they ‘say’ they’re gathering together.

Tonight they just presented the proposed budget and the council says they will be having public meetings for citizen input. I am still new at this, but when I attended a previous meeting of public input I got the impression that the city council had already made up their minds on the issue I was interested in. There were quite a few people who expressed legitimate concerns. We’ll see if I get that impression again.

Budget will be available to public review at the city web site.

Worries of citizens prior to the proposals of the budget:
a. 25% increase of taxes one person said)
b. A bad street near Wal-Mart that has been dangerous to the residents in the area.
c. The city’s involvement with the Internet service Utopia.
d. The city council doing actions similar to a private company and not devoting their attention solely to city issues.
e. Several citizens, especially retired people on a fixed income have expressed great concern on the proposed tax increases.

Items proposed for city government for increased taxes:
1. Water fund: City has already acquired water rights from Metropolitan water and we have access to reservoirs. Contract is up to 2017. Working on getting access to more water sources and it is proposed to increase the budget by 25 cents in the water bill and 16 cents in the water bill for operations which would total to be 41 cents.

Though we had a big snow pack last year the report said there would be 40% reduction in water. On the news I heard that water is being held back this year until we see what next year promises.

2. Sewer fund: Power needs require an increase of 39 cents per month.

3. Street lighting: currently comes from the general fund. (I thought they said this was an enterprise fund stated earlier. 5,000 lights were installed since year 2000. Need an additional $3million to install other lights in areas that will be more difficult because of the more complicated infrastructure. Suggest this needed by subsidized by a $3 increase. Suggest that Street Lighting be moved from general fund to be stand alone and self-maintaining by acting as an Enterprise fund.

4. Residential solid waste: is currently managed by Waste Management. They handle about 20K tons of waste. This department wants to reduce tax by over $3, because of savings. (Let’s put these people in charge of Utopia and other projects that are over budget if they’re doing a good job on waste.)

5. Vehicle Replacement costs: as determined by the increasing maintenance issues as the vehicles get older i.e.: police cars, ambulance and utility trucks. Proposed cost $600K

6. Employee compensation: Mentioned that employees have not gotten an increase for about three years. Propose an average of 2% increase to be competitive with the nation. A question was asked if this 2% increase also covered retirement packages and it is included.

7. New computers- especially computers in cop cars that contend with 100 degrees temperature, which are terrible for technology. (Would palm pilots be better?) Past budget was $200K would like to keep it the same at $200K

8. Truth Taxation: asks for $3,350,000 increase on property tax. That would be $8 a month and about. (I’m confused by this part)

9. Fees and Charges: Want to increase the following fees to obtain additional income: PRD: Planned Residential development; Changes to zones; plans submitted by developers and site plans.
Overall tax increase is $11.05 a month and $119 a year of property taxes. They kept emphasizing that the city has not increased taxes since 1978. Stated that street construction is needed by money has not been allotted to that yet and that certain projects have been postponed such as a fire station in North West Orem.

Hopefully I got most of this info accurate as I have to rely upon what I hear since I can’t see the screen when they display data.

They turned up the air condition to be pretty high and I was really shivering. As soon as I got the hint they were wrapping up I left. I wonder if the air-conditioner was as a courtesy to the public or it that too could be used as a ploy to discourage people from hanging around too long. That’s pretty sad when I see hidden meanings when maybe nothing was intended but to show courtesy.

Several police officers were in the back; probably to take care of any citizens who might put up too much of a stink on an issue. Some citizens were very eloquent in expressing themselves.

I’m going to post a version of these notes on the Orem Tea party Facebook page in case others are interested.